Soon you could be strolling to the trash can for more than just disposing old junk. Bigbelly, a waste management company from Massachusetts, announced that it aims to transform its trash cans to double as wireless hotspots throughout New York City.

According to Citylab, Bigbelly currently has over 170 solar powered bins operating the streets of Manhattan. Each bin contains a high-tech chip that alerts local garbage companies to make a pick-up when it is full and when it is becoming extremely potent. But Bigbelly’s creative developments don’t stop there. After recently partnering with Downtown Alliance, the waste management company plans to turn two of their solar powered bins into fully functioning hotspots with built in Wi-Fi units. After a bit of pilot testing, the signal proved to be strong, operating at 50-75 megabits per second. Huffington Post points out that “there is enough bandwidth to power a start-up”. Bigbelly is hoping to soon expand in several-hundred garbage and recycling bins, filling the streets with Wi-Fi in one of the most populated cities in America. If their grant is approved by the mayor, they will be able to install their solar powered “smart” bins in underserved neighborhoods, assisting those who previously may have not been able to afford connectivity.

This movement will also provide a large revenue source for the city, by offering paid and sponsored ad placements on the outside of the containers. Of course this creative idea raises questions of security, distance, reliability, etc. But will this promote anti-littering by guiding our technology reliant society to the trashcans? Perhaps.

XCom Global has been nominated for a World Travel Award in the category of World’s Leading Travel Communications Provider. Voting is now open – we hope you agree we deserve this recognition and will cast your vote for us!

World Travel Awards was established in 1993 to celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry. It is recognized globally as the “ultimate hallmark of quality, with winners setting the benchmark to which all others aspire.” In 2014, over 650,000 individual votes were cast to choose the award winners. Each year, regional gala ceremonies are held across the globe as part of a Grand Tour. In October, the North American World Travel Awards gala honoring this year’s winners will be held in Turks and Caicos. We hope to be there!

All regional winners will then compete in a final round of voting to see who will win the World Travel Awards world awards – the ultimate accolade in the travel and tourism industry. Those winners will be announced at the Grand Final to be held in Marrakech, Morocco in December.
We would be honored to receive your vote. Simply follow this link to vote for us as well as your other favorite travel service providers:
http://www.worldtravelawards.com/vote

San Diego, CA – June 4, 2015 –

According to a recent leak from a savvy twitter user, Microsoft has a large-scale plan to bring internet to users on the go. Microsoftwifi.com went live prematurely, sharing that their service will supposedly let users connect to wireless hotspots across the globe, functioning on multiple platforms. Although the website was pulled, a Microsoft spokesperson did confirm with Venture Beat that they “are working on a new service, called Microsoft WiFi, that will bring hassle-free Wi-Fi to millions”. Unfortunately, they are not willing to release further detail at this time. Before the website went down Venture Beat was able to scope out their advertisement on the front page, reading “Sign in once and you are done: you will automatically be connected to a vast range of WiFi providers around the world.”

Similar to Project FI by Google, Microsoft WiFi will not be accessible to everyone. In order to be eligible for the app, you either need to be actively subscribed to Skype, work for an organization that utilized Microsoft Office 365 for Enterprise, or a lucky customer who receives a special WiFi offer from the company. Obviously we are still in the dark as far as costs go, but this service seems to question reliability, stability, and security. Additionally, if a user is “automatically” connected after logging in, do they need to consistently remember to “logout” to avoid future charges? Their advertisements appear to be targeting “travelers on the go”, begging the question of distance to connect to a hotspot. People on the go tend to have an agenda, which may not include sitting around a café or library to access internet.

What are your thoughts?

Posted by: Katherine Igoe
Katherine@Xcomglobal.com

San Diego, CA – June 1, 2015 –

As glamorous as traveling for work may seem, living out of a suitcase can be nerve-wracking. Make sure to bring these five items with you to travel abroad at ease.

1.Portable Wi-Fi
As mentioned in one of our previous blog posts, staying connected while traveling has become a top priority. Specifically, keeping in touch with clients and maintaining reliable contact with your company is essential for any successful business trip. Whether you’re stuck due to weather delays or running late for an important meeting, having secure, portable Wi-Fi will aid in your productivity while traveling. With XCom Global services, take advantage of portable Wi-Fi in over 175 plus countries. Feel free to take all of your electronics with you, as our service functions on up to ten devices with only one hotspot rental.

2.Get your Global Entry Pass
Sign up for the Trusted Traveler program! Long processing lines and tedious paperwork are far too familiar to the frequent traveler. With a Global Entry pass, enjoy expedited clearance when re-entering the United States by proceeding to Global Entry kiosks. Made available through the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, $100 fee will give you five years of pre-screened passenger coverage. Be prepared for a thorough background check and in-person interview to be considered for the program. But it comes highly recommended.

3.Utilize Smart Travel Apps
Apps like Passbook keep tabs on your most important traveling documents like boarding passes, discount cards, and more. Take advantage of tracking sites such as AwardWallet, an app that tracks all of your reward programs from credit cards to frequent flyer miles. One of the best parts about this app is that it records all of your miles from all of your accounts and also remembers your passwords for each, keeping you organized with minimal effort.

4.Portable chargers
This is a dead giveaway. Staying “online” in an increasingly mobile-relied era is imperative. Instead of taking the risk of finding an available charger at an airport or café, take your charger with you! This will make sure you can work whenever and wherever on the go. Also don’t forget extra battery packs for all of your electronic needs if you have them!

5. International Outlet Converters
Once at your destination, it is important to be able to plug in all of your tech savvy essentials. Make sure to bring a universal plug adaptor with you, as many countries rely on varying outlets. As important as it is to have backup, portable chargers, it is also highly recommended to have the right converter for the country you’re traveling to. Check this one out!

Happy Traveling from XCom!

Posted by: Katherine Igoe
Katherine@Xcomglobal.com

San Diego, CA – May 28, 2015 –

As technology advances, the need for connectivity has become even more imperative. Whether you are traveling for business or for pleasure, finding a hotel that provides a solid Wi-Fi connection is increasingly becoming a priority when booking accommodations. In fact, according to The Huffington Post, free Wi-Fi has landed at the number one spot among 33 other hotel amenities for travelers. Luckily, many companies are starting to catch onto this consumer trend and assisting their customers in selecting the hotel offering the best Wi-Fi.

Thanks to a recent report released by Hotel WiFi Test, potential hotel guests now have an inside look at the quality of Wi-Fi at a given hotel in over 4,000 cities. As noted on PRNewswire.com, “Hotel WiFi Test is the leader in collecting, analyzing, and distributing hotel Wi-Fi data from around the world…Data on hotels’ Wi-Fi quality is crowd-sourced, processed, and then made available for free to all travelers on hotelwifitest.com and on third-party travel websites via the content API.”

Said report hones in on two important qualities when ranking a hotels’ Wi-Fi: the quality of Wi-Fi and if the in-room Wi-Fi is complimentary. The report concluded that Nordic Choice is the number one chain in the global ranking division, with Marriott landing number one in the United States. An interesting and mildly disappointing finding is that Nordic Choice provides 100% of its hotels with free Wi-Fi, while Marriott only offers an unimpressive 17% of their hotels with free Wi-Fi. Interesting numbers to ponder.

–Wireless service provider to keep Children’s Global Alliance connected on its upcoming missions as
well as a three-man team driving in the Mongol Rally for the benefit of their favorite charities–

San Diego, CA – May 18, 2015 – XCom Global, Inc., a leading provider of low cost wireless Internet access
rental services for international travelers, announced today that it will provide its World Wi-Fi hotspots to
Children’s Global Alliance, a provider of large-scale volunteer experiences for children ages 12-16, as well as
to Three Fists In, a scrappy three-man team that will be driving the 10,000-mile Mongol Rally to benefit Cool
Earth Charity, St. Wilfred’s Hospice and Surfers Against Sewage.

“We love to support charities and adventurers,” said Joe Fennell, Chief Operating Officer (COO), XCom
Global, Inc. “Going out in the world to make it a better place or to experience it in all its glory are passions
we share and respect. The two most recent commitments we’ve made, to Children’s Global Alliance and
Three Fists In, represent a bit of both. The participants are a formidable combination of adventure seekers
and philanthropists. XCom Global has broad worldwide coverage so keeping them connected in the more
than 20 countries they have on their itineraries is no problem – it’s what we do better than anyone.”

Children’s Global Alliance is a registered 501(c)3 non-profit organization that creates experiences for students
in America ages 12-16 to create global awareness and make a difference in the world’s most impoverished
countries. CGA facilitates four yearly volunteer trips to work hands-on with orphanages in Cambodia as well
as with a school for children with special needs in Nicaragua, the slums in Nepal and a school in need in
Tanzania. To be eligible, students must apply and interview for the opportunity and fulfill many requirements
during the eight month long program, prior to travel. CGA has been able to help thousands of people around
the world through their direct and hands on approach over the last seven years.
http://www.childrensglobalalliance.org/

Three Fists In will be driving from London to Siberia in the 2015 Mongol Rally. Team members Jo Betteley,
Chris Pett and Russell Gates have been repairing an old Suzuki SJ that will be their beast of burden on this
great adventure, especially chosen for its 4×4 capabilities but tiny engine size which will keep it within the
rules of the race. These rules, as listed on the Mongol Rally website
(http://www.theadventurists.com/mongol-rally) are: 1. You can only take a farcically small vehicle; 2. You’re
completely on your own; 3. You’ve got to raise a £1000 for charity. Three Fists In have chosen three of their
favorite charities to benefit from their challenging trek across Europe and Asia.
https://www.facebook.com/team3fists

XCom Global’s high-speed Internet access rental service provides international travelers unlimited data usage
and the freedom to wirelessly roam abroad in over 175 countries around the world. Travelers arrange for
their coverage before they set out on their trip so they can have an affordable data connection upon
arrival. No technical expertise or unauthorized unlocking is required to receive a private and secure Wi-Fi
connection using the company’s World Wi-Fi hotspots, including support for WPA2 and VPN pass-through.
Customer service is available 24 hours a day.

About XCom Global, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., XCom Global, Inc. is a leader in providing secure, low-cost, high-speed
wireless Internet access to business and leisure travelers. The company offers World Wi-Fi hotspot rentals
with broad global coverage at rates substantially below standard international roaming charges. XCom Global
is a U.S. subsidiary of an established Japanese company that has been in the forefront of providing travelers
with innovative wireless communications services since 1995. For more information, please visit
www.xcomglobal.com, call 877-520-8242 or contact us at info@xcomglobal.com. In addition, get updates
and travel tips by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.

– Company will provide its Internet access rental service at no charge to those heading to Nepal to provide aid –

SAN DIEGO, CA. – May 7, 2015 – XCom Global, Inc., a leading provider of low cost wireless Internet access rental services for international travelers, announced today it is offering free Internet access to relief workers who are heading to Nepal to aid in disaster recovery.

XCom Global will supply its World Wi-Fi hotspots at no charge to provide fast, reliable and secure connections to the Internet. As you can imagine, having this access in the field improves the relief workers’ ability to access and share information as well as communicate with each other. XCom Global has provided Internet connectivity to support disaster recovery efforts in the past and it has been found to be invaluable.

Relief workers who would like to request a rental device should contact XCom Global at 1-877-520-8242 or make a request via the link on the company website: https://www.xcomglobal.com/wi-fi-disaster-relief Rental units will be shipped to them in advance of their departure from the U.S. at no charge.

XCom Global’s high-speed Internet access rental service provides international travelers unlimited data usage and the freedom to wirelessly roam abroad in over 175 countries around the world. Travelers arrange for their coverage before they set out on their trip so they can have an affordable data connection upon arrival. No technical expertise or unauthorized unlocking is required to receive a private and secure Wi-Fi connection using the company’s World Wi-Fi hotspots, including support for WPA2 and VPN pass-through. Customer service is available 24 hours a day.

About XCom Global, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., XCom Global, Inc. is a leader in providing secure, low-cost, high-speed wireless Internet access to business and leisure travelers. The company offers World Wi-Fi hotspot rentals with broad global coverage at rates substantially below standard international roaming charges. XCom Global is a U.S. subsidiary of an established Japanese company that has been in the forefront of providing travelers with innovative wireless communications services since 1995. For more information, please visit www.xcomglobal.com, call 877-520-8242 or contact us at info@xcomglobal.com. In addition, get updates and travel tips by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.

Solar Impulse, an airplane powered only by solar energy, is gearing up for their most challenging journey yet – across the Pacific Ocean! Expecting to depart Nanjing, China on May 12th, Solar Impulse will travel five days and five nights across seas all the way to Honolulu, HI. In the meantime, XCom Global is keeping the ground crew connected with our World Wi-Fi hotspots. Stay tuned on their historical flight by following their logbook here!

World Wi-Fi service provider continues to upgrade service plans and equipment to connect travelers at the highest speeds available.

Las Vegas, NV, April 28, 2015 –(PR.com)– XCom Global, Inc., a leading provider of low cost wireless Internet access rental services for international travelers, announced today at Interop Las Vegas (XCom Global Booth #2450), that it has expanded LTE coverage in Asia-Pacific. In addition to Japan and South Korea, super-fast LTE connectivity is now available in Thailand, Taiwan, China and Australia.

XCom Global’s fleet of mobile hotspots, which provide secure, reliable Internet connectivity for up to 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices, have all been pre-tested to ensure that they are compatible with the specific network requirements of the local carrier. Having the right equipment is especially critical to achieving LTE speeds and new devices have been placed in inventory to support these additional Asia-Pacific connections.

“LTE has been slow to fully rollout across the globe, but we are implementing coverage as quickly as the markets allow,” said Joe Fennell, Chief Operating Officer (COO), XCom Global, Inc. “We are committed to providing the fastest connectivity possible. Our LTE service provides travelers with connection speeds of up to 75Mbps. As a comparison, fast home Internet connections are around 24Mbps with an average connection speed of only 5.8Mbps.”

XCom Global’s high-speed Internet access rental service provides international travelers unlimited data usage and the freedom to wirelessly roam abroad in over 175 countries around the world. Travelers arrange for their coverage before they set out on their trip so they can have an affordable data connection upon arrival. No technical expertise or unauthorized unlocking is required to receive a private and secure Wi-Fi connection using the company’s World Wi-Fi hotspots, including support for WPA2 and VPN pass-through. Customer service is available 24 hours a day.

About XCom Global, Inc.
Headquartered in San Diego, Calif., XCom Global, Inc. is a leader in providing secure, low-cost, high-speed wireless Internet access to business and leisure travelers. The company offers World Wi-Fi hotspot rentals with broad global coverage at rates substantially below standard international roaming charges. XCom Global is a U.S. subsidiary of an established Japanese company that has been in the forefront of providing travelers with innovative wireless communications services since 1995. For more information, please visit www.xcomglobal.com, call 877-520-8242 or contact us at info@xcomglobal.com. In addition, get updates and travel tips by connecting with us on Facebook and Twitter.

To say that we are a little bit envious of Ben Southall is probably an understatement. He is really living the “Best Life” as he and his wife, Sophee, drive his Land Rover, Colonel Mustard, on an overland journey from Singapore to London.

So far, they have explored Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and are now in Myanmar. Colonel Mustard has safely transported them over 8200 kilometers to date. And XCom Global has been keeping them connected all along the way with our World Wi-Fi hotpot.

Check out their blog posts – their exit interviews highlight what they loved most about each country they visit and a sense of what the people and environment are like.

You can follow Ben and Sophee on their “Best Life in the World” adventure via their blogs and social media including: